By Armando Machado | Correspondent

A renowned Catholic speaker and author who spoke about the founding of the Church and the significance of the Holy Eucharist, and a priest who is a gifted orator who talked about the importance of  empowering of oneself with the Holy Spirit, were the featured attractions at the Diocese of Trenton’s second annual Rally and Retreat Day held June 13 in Ocean Grove’s Great Auditorium.

“Este es la inglesia de Jesus Christo!” Dr. Fernando Casanova declared, as he recalled his time of conversion from a Pentecostal assistant pastor to a member of the Catholic Church in 2003. When he said he had realized he’d rather belong to the Christian church founded by Jesus himself than one established by a gentleman in the 1800s, his remark was greeted with loud applause from the estimated 1,114 adults who attended the event sponsored by the diocesan Anglo, Hispanic, Filipino and Haitian Catholic Charismatic Renewal communities.

 “We give thanks to the Lord for this day that he has given us,” said Sandra Lopez, coordinator of the diocesan Hispanic Ministry. “It is a special blessing to see so many of our brothers and sisters united from various communities.”

Dr. Casanova, who hails from Puerto Rico, talked about how his conversion was a very difficult time, initially causing separation from his wife, who was reluctant at first. After two months, he reunited with his wife and children on the day he had gone to a Catholic Church – in a desperate state of mind – and found a Rosary on a pew and began praying it for the first time, even though he was unsure if he was praying it the right way.

“How is it that a person, cannot realize the special importance of honoring Mother Mary?” he queried.

God wants to save the world through unity, Dr. Casanova said, then added that the “evil one” wants to destroy the world through division – including division among Christians. While his morning presentation focused on his conversion and the founding of the Church, his afternoon talk was centered on the Holy Eucharist.

“The Holy Eucharist is a mystery – very big, very profound,” Dr. Casanova said. “You know that better than I do – you are old Catholics,” he said, his remark greeted with laughter from the lifelong Catholics in the audience.

He talked of other Christian churches treating Holy Communion as a “symbol” rather than as having the presence of the Lord, noting that Christ asserted that the bread was his Body and the wine was his Blood. And if one believes that Jesus always tells the truth, then there should be no doubt, he emphasized.

Dr. Casanova said that in his native Puerto Rico, persons who practice witchcraft sometimes demand up to $2,000 for the use of a consecrated host during their sessions with clients – in lieu of using “galletas (crackers)” used in Protestant churches. And so, he noted, “hasta el mismo Diablo reconoce la presencia de Jesus (even the devil himself recognizes the presence of Jesus).”

Father Bill Halbing, the main celebrant of the day’s Mass, and a nationally known charismatic priest and speaker, focused his homily on the power of the Holy Spirit.

“When I have the Holy Spirit, I walk with God. I walk with Jesus. I’m not giving up Jesus,” said Father Halbing, who lives in residence in St. Mary Parish, Middletown. “We need communication…When you have the Holy Spirit, you can communicate with everyone.”

Father Halbing spoke of the need for people to get a “faith lift” and to make practicing faith more of a priority than seeking ways to make oneself more attractive. Seek Christ, he said, seek the Lord and he will fill you “with the power of the Holy Spirit.”

Father Jeffrey Kegley, diocesan liaison to the Catholic Charismatic Renewal and pastor of St. Mary Parish, Middletown, served as the event’s master of ceremonies, and as one of the Mass concelebrants. Sandra Lopez, coordinator of the diocesan Hispanic Ministry, said,

In talking about married couples, Father Halbing said that communication and financial worries were among the main problems in many marriages – in that order. The answer to resolve problems, he said, lies God – the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Father Halbing emphasized how married coules can seek to strengthen their matrimony through God’s guidance – so that they can overcome the obstacles before them.

During much of the rally and retreat 150 youngsters ages three to 12 gathered in the Youth Temple for children’s ministry lessons and activities; teens 13 to 17 were at the Bishop Janes Tabernacle for Teen Track, a teen ministry program.

The afternoon schedule included a testimony from Debbie Gaudino, a member of St. Anthony of Padua Parish, Red Bank, shared how he had been leading a life too focused on “pursuing materialistic things.”

She said this changed in the year 2000 after she and her husband returned from a visit to Rome, where they attended a Mass celebrated by Pope John Paul II.

“We both came back to the Church after being away for many years,” Gaudino said, noting that she began to realize more and more the importance of conversion, forgiveness, the Sacrament of Reconciliation, and the healing power of the Lord’s mercy.

Among the event attendees were Phillip and Silvia Wyckoff, members of St. Anthony of Padua Parish, Hightstown. “The homily was excellent,” said Silvia Wyckoff, reflecting Father Halbing’s focus on the power of the Holy Spirit.

Phillip Wyckoff, a recent Catholic convert, said he was particular interested in Dr. Casanova’s emphasis on the Catholic Church being founded by Jesus himself.

Oralia Venegas, who is a member of Mother of Mercy Parish, Asbury Park, said she attended the rally and retreat because she is always seeking spiritual growth. “The matters of faith they’ve been talking about, I practice these things in my daily life,” said Venegas, who was born and raised in Nicaragua. “I always want to be involved, to be connected to the Church.”